When was the last time you felt really, truly lonely?

I read that yesterday afternoon, and have been quietly pondering it since. My first thought was, how can I possibly be lonely?? The second? WHEN DO I HAVE THE TIME TO BE LONELY??? But the thing is, one can be lonely surrounded by loving people, while being busy as a parent, and even in the midst of joy.

I can’t think of many times I have been lonely. There are plenty where I am alone, though. The most recent memory of loneliness was a bad one for me. The walls seemed to close around me and all I could do was escape to the closet and cry for hours, where no one could find or hear me. My faith was strained that day, a very dark, bleak day. But somehow I managed to pull myself back from that darkness and embrace my faith again, because it was the one thing that had stayed with me. There are days when I feel the need to close myself off from everyone, and just shut down every feeling and every care. But I can’t. Not “won’t”, mind you. I can’t help but care and feel, even towards those who have shut me out of their lives.

Loneliness is only a small phase in the course of Life. When handled well, we can learn much about ourselves. The trick is to make sure it is a small phase, and not one that takes over your soul. That is the path I choose to take 🙂